The spectral analysis of the dissipative linear transport (Boltzmann) operator with polynomial collision integral by the Szokefalvi-Nagy - Foias functional model is given. An exact estimate for the reminder in the asymptotic of the corresponding evolution semigroup is proved in the isotropic case. In the general case, it is shown that the operator has finitely many eigenvalues and spectral singularities and an absolutely continuous essential spectrum, and an upper estimate for the reminder is established.
The formation and propagation of singularities for Boltzmann equation in bounded domains has been an important question in numerical studies as well as in theoretical studies. Consider the nonlinear Boltzmann solution near Maxwellians under in-flow, diffuse, or bounce-back boundary conditions. We demonstrate that discontinuity is created at the non-convex part of the grazing boundary, then propagates only along the forward characteristics inside the domain before it hits on the boundary again.
This paper deals with explicit spectral gap estimates for the linearized Boltzmann operator with hard potentials (and hard spheres). We prove that it can be reduced to the Maxwellian case, for which explicit estimates are already known. Such a method is constructive, does not rely on Weyl's Theorem and thus does not require Grad's splitting. The more physical idea of the proof is to use geometrical properties of the whole collision operator. In a second part, we use the fact that the Landau operator can be expressed as the limit of the Boltzmann operator as collisions become grazing in order t…
We consider the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation for inelastic hard spheres, in the framework of so-called constant normal restitution coefficients. We prove the existence of self-similar solutions, and we give pointwise estimates on their tail. We also give general estimates on the tail and the regularity of generic solutions. In particular we prove Haff 's law on the rate of decay of temperature, as well as the algebraic decay of singularities. The proofs are based on the regularity study of a rescaled problem, with the help of the regularity properties of the gain part of the Boltzm…
In this paper we prove new constructive coercivity estimates for the Boltzmann collision operator without cutoff, that is for long-range interactions. In particular we give a generalized sufficient condition for the existence of a spectral gap which involves both the growth behavior of the collision kernel at large relative velocities and its singular behavior at grazing and frontal collisions. It provides in particular existence of a spectral gap and estimates on it for interactions deriving from the hard potentials $ϕ(r) = r^{-(s−1)}$, $s \ge 5$ or the so-called moderately soft potenti…
We consider the Boltzmann operator for mixtures with cutoff Maxwellian, hard potentials, or hard spheres collision kernels. In a perturbative regime around the global Maxwellian equilibrium, the linearized Boltzmann multi-species operator $\mathbf{L}$ is known to possess an explicit spectral gap $λ_{\mathbf{L}}$, in the global equilibrium weighted $L^2$ space. We study a new operator $\mathbf{L^\varepsilon}$ obtained by linearizing the Boltzmann operator for mixtures around local Maxwellian distributions, where all the species evolve with different small macroscopic velocities of order $\varep…
In this paper, we discuss the Cauchy Problem for the compressible isentropic Euler-Boltzmann equations with vacuum in radiation hydrodynamics. Firstly, we establish the local existence of regular solutions by the fundamental methods in the theory of quasi-linear symmetric hyperbolic systems under some physical assumptions. Then we give the non-global existence of regular solutions caused by the effect of vacuum for $1<γ\leq 3$. Finally, we extend our result to the initial-boundary value problem under some suitable boundary conditions. These blow-up results tell us that the radiation cannot pre…
Motivated by possible applications of spectral singularities in optics, we develop a semiclassical method of computing spectral singularities. We use this method to examine the spectral singularities of a planar slab gain medium whose gain coefficient varies due to the exponential decay of the intensity of pumping beam inside the medium. For both singly- and doubly-pumped samples, we obtain universal upper bounds on the decay constant beyond which no lasing occurs. Furthermore, we show that the dependence of the wavelength of the spectral singularities on the value of the decay constant is ext…
For the spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation with hard po- tentials and Grad's cutoff (e.g. hard spheres), we give quantitative estimates of exponential convergence to equilibrium, and we show that the rate of exponential decay is governed by the spectral gap for the linearized equation, on which we provide a lower bound. Our approach is based on establishing spectral gap-like estimates valid near the equilibrium, and then connecting the latter to the quantitative nonlinear theory. This leads us to an explicit study of the linearized Boltzmann collision operator in functional spaces larger…
We study the problem of locating spectral singularities of a general complex point interaction with a support at a single point. We also determine the bound states, examine the special cases where the point interaction is P-, T-, and PT-symmetric, and explore the issue of the coalescence of spectral singularities and bound states.
Numerical approximation of the Boltzmann equation is a challenging problem due to its high-dimensional, nonlocal, and nonlinear collision integral. Over the past decade, the Fourier-Galerkin spectral method has become a popular deterministic method for solving the Boltzmann equation, manifested by its high accuracy and potential of being further accelerated by the fast Fourier transform. Albeit its practical success, the stability of the method is only recently proved by Filbet, F. & Mouhot, C. in [$ Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.$ 363, no. 4 (2011): 1947-1980.] by utilizing the "spreading" property …
We consider the Schrödinger operator with constant magnetic field defined on the half-plane with a Dirichlet boundary condition, $H_0$, and a decaying electric perturbation $V$. We analyze the spectral density near the Landau levels, which are thresholds in the spectrum of $H_0,$ by studying the Spectral Shift Function (SSF) associated to the pair $(H_0+V,{H_0})$. For perturbations of a fixed sign, we estimate the SSF in terms of the eigenvalue counting function for certain compact operators. If the decay of $V$ is power-like, then using pseudodifferential analysis, we deduce that there are si…
We consider a semiclassical linear Boltzmann model with a non local collision operator. We provide sharp spectral asymptotics for the small spectrum in the low temperature regime from which we deduce the rate of return to equilibrium as well as a metastability result. The main ingredients are resolvent estimates obtained via hypocoercive techniques and the construction of sharp Gaussian quasimodes through an adaptation of the WKB method.
We introduce a numerical scheme for the full multi-species Boltzmann equation based on Hermite spectral method. With the proper choice of expansion centers for different species, a practical algorithm is derived to evaluate the complicated multi-species binary collision operator. New collision models are built by combining the quadratic collision model and the simple BGK collision model under the framework of the Hermite spectral method, which enables us to balance the computational cost and accuracy. Several numerical experiments are implemented to validate the dramatic efficiency of this new…
Spectral singularities are spectral points that spoil the completeness of the eigenfunctions of certain non-Hermitian Hamiltonian operators. We identify spectral singularities of complex scattering potentials with the real energies at which the reflection and transmission coefficients tend to infinity, i.e., they correspond to resonances having a zero width. We show that a wave guide modeled using such a potential operates like a resonator at the frequencies of spectral singularities. As a concrete example, we explore the spectral singularities of an imaginary PT-symmetric barrier potential an…
We study the inverse spectral problem for Bessel type operators with potential (v(x)): (H_κ=-\partial_x^2+\frac{k}{x^2}+v(x)). The potential is assumed smooth in ((0,R)) and with an asymptotic expansion in powers and logarithms as (x\rightarrow 0^+, v(x)=O(x^α), α>-2). Specifically we show that the coefficients of the asymptotic expansion of the potential are spectrally determined. This is achieved by computing the expansion of the trace of the resolvent of this operator which is spectrally determined and elaborating the relation of the expansion of the resolvent with that of the potential, th…
We show that, contrary to a claim made in arXiv:1011.0645, the von Neumann-Winger bound states that lie in the continuum of the scattering states are fundamentally different from Naimark's spectral singularities.
We develop an approach for designing complex potentials with two or three coexisting spectral singularities in the spectra of the respective Schrödinger operators. The approach is illustrated with several examples. In addition, we offer a simple recipe to create a second-order spectral singularity by intentionally colliding two simple ones.
We prove, assuming that the Bohr-Sommerfeld rules hold, that the joint spectrum near a focus-focus critical value of a quantum integrable system determines the classical Lagrangian foliation around the full focus-focus leaf. The result applies, for instance, to h-pseudodifferential operators, and to Berezin-Toeplitz operators on prequantizable compact symplectic manifolds.
Spectral Gap Computations for Linearized Boltzmann Operators
The Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences（计算工程与科学研究所）；Department of Mathematics（数学系）；ICES（计算工程与科学研究所）；The University of Texas at Austin（德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校）
We consider the 3D Schrödinger operator $H_0$ with constant magnetic field $B$ of scalar intensity $b>0$, and its perturbations $H_+$ (resp., $H_-$) obtained by imposing Dirichlet (resp., Neumann) conditions on the boundary of the bounded domain $Ω_{\rm in} \subset {\mathbb R}^3$. We introduce the Krein spectral shift functions $ξ(E;H_\pm,H_0)$, $E \geq 0$, for the operator pairs $(H_\pm,H_0)$, and study their singularities at the Landau levels $Λ_q : = b(2q+1)$, $q \in {\mathbb Z}_+$, which play the role of thresholds in the spectrum of $H_0$. We show that $ξ(E;H_+,H_0)$ remains bounded as $E…
We introduce a notion of spectral singularity that applies for a general class of nonlinear Schreodinger operators involving a confined nonlinearity. The presence of the nonlinearity does not break the parity-reflection symmetry of spectral singularities but makes them amplitude-dependent. Nonlinear spectral singularities are, therefore, associated with a resonance effect that produces amplified waves with a specific amplitude-wavelength profile. We explore the consequences of this phenomenon for a complex delta-function potential that is subject to a general confined nonlinearity.
Spectral singularities are among generic mathematical features of complex scattering potentials. Physically they correspond to scattering states that behave like zero-width resonances. For a simple optical system, we show that a spectral singularity appears whenever the gain coefficient coincides with its threshold value and other parameters of the system are selected properly. We explore a concrete realization of spectral singularities for a typical semiconductor gain medium and propose a method of constructing a tunable laser that operates at threshold gain.
An optical spectral singularity is a zero-width resonance that corresponds to lasing at threshold gain. Its time-reversal causes coherent perfect absorption of light and forms the theoretical basis of antilasing. In this article we explore optical spectral singularities of a two-layer spherical medium. In particular, we examine the cases that a gain medium is coated by a thin layer of high-refractive index glass and a spherical glass covered by a layer of gain material. In the former case, the coating reduces the minimum radius required for exciting spectral singularities and gives rise to the…
The mathematical notion of a spectral singularity admits a physical interpretation as a zero-width resonance. It finds an optical realization as a certain type of lasing effect that occurs at the threshold gain. We explore spectral singularities of a complex spherical barrier potential and study their realization as transverse spherical electromagnetic waves emitted by a gain medium with a spherical geometry. In particular, for a typical dye laser material, we obtain a lower bound on the size of the gain medium for the occurence of this kind of spectral singularities.
A PT-symmetric optically active medium that lases at the threshold gain also acts as a complete perfect absorber at the laser wavelength. This is because spectral singularities of PT-symmetric complex potentials are always accompanied by their time-reversal dual. We investigate the significance of PT-symmetry for the appearance of these self-dual spectral singularities. In particular, using a realistic optical system we show that self-dual spectral singularities can emerge also for non-PT-symmetric configurations. This signifies the existence of non-PT-symmetric CPA-lasers.
We consider a parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$-) symmetric waveguide consisting of a localized gain and loss elements separated by a variable distance. The situation is modelled by a Schrödiner operator with localized complex $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric potential. Properties of the latter Hamiltonian are considered subject to the change of the gain-to-loss distance. Resonances, spectral singularities and eigenvalues are analyzed in detail and discussed in the context of the associated laser-absorber modes and $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry breaking phase transition. Increasing gain-to-loss distance creates n…
Spectral singularities are certain points of the continuous spectrum of generic complex scattering potentials. We review the recent developments leading to the discovery of their physical meaning, consequences, and generalizations. In particular, we give a simple definition of spectral singularities, provide a general introduction to spectral consequences of ${\cal PT}$-symmetry (clarifying some of the controversies surrounding this subject), outline the main ideas and constructions used in the pseudo-Hermitian representation of quantum mechanics, and discuss how spectral singularities entered…
A curious feature of complex scattering potentials v(x) is the appearance of spectral singularities. We offer a quantitative description of spectral singularities that identifies them with an obstruction to the existence of a complete biorthonormal system consisting of the eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian operator, i.e., -\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+v(x), and its adjoint. We establish the equivalence of this description with the mathematicians' definition of spectral singularities for the potential v(x)=z_-δ(x+a)+z_+δ(x-a), where z_\pm and a are respectively complex and real parameters and δ(x) is the D…
The origin of spectral singularities in finite-gap singly periodic PT-symmetric quantum systems is investigated. We show that they emerge from a limit of band-edge states in a doubly periodic finite gap system when the imaginary period tends to infinity. In this limit, the energy gaps are contracted and disappear, every pair of band states of the same periodicity at the edges of a gap coalesces and transforms into a singlet state in the continuum. As a result, these spectral singularities turn out to be analogous to those in the non-periodic systems, where they appear as zero-width resonances.…
We study inverse spectral problems for ordinary differential equations with regular singularities on compact star-type graphs when differential equations have different orders on diferent edges. As the main spectral characteristics we introduce and study the so-called Weyl-type matrices which are generalizations of the Weyl function for the classical Sturm-Liouville operator. We provide a procedure for constructing the solution of the inverse problem and prove its uniqueness.
We develop a perturbative method of computing spectral singularities of a Schreodinger operator defined by a general complex potential that vanishes outside a closed interval. These can be realized as zero-width resonances in optical gain media and correspond to a lasing effect that occurs at the threshold gain. Their time-reversed copies yield coherent perfect absorption of light that is also known as an antilaser. We use our general results to establish the exactness of the n-th order perturbation theory for an arbitrary complex potential consisting of n delta-functions, obtain an exact expr…
A peculiar property of complex scattering potentials is the appearance of spectral singularities. These are energy eigenvalues for certain scattering states that similarly to resonance states have infinite reflection and transmission coefficients. This property reveals an interesting resonance effect with possible applications in waveguide physics. We study the spectral singularities of a complex barrier potential and explore their application in designing a waveguide that functions as a resonator. We show that for the easily accessible sizes of the waveguide and its gain region, we can realiz…
We study the surface modes of a homogeneous spherical gain medium and provide a comprehensive analytic treatment of a special class of these modes that support spectral singularities. Because the latter have a divergent quality factor, we call them the singular gallery modes. We show that they can be excited using arbitrarily small amounts of gain, and as a result, the system lacks a lasing threshold, effectively. This shows that we can realize spectral singularities in the surface modes of extremely small spherical samples with modest amounts of gain. We also examine the possibility of exciti…
Supersymmetric (SUSY) transformation operators corresponding to complex factorization constants are analyzed as operators acting in the Hilbert space of functions square integrable on the positive semiaxis. Obtained results are applied to Hamiltonians possessing spectral singularities which are non-Hermitian SUSY partners of selfadjoint operators. A new regularization procedure for the resolution of the identity operator in terms of continuous biorthonormal set of the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian eigenfunctions is proposed. It is also shown that the continuous spectrum eigenfunction has zero bino…
We examine the completeness of bi-orthogonal sets of eigenfunctions for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians possessing a spectral singularity. The correct resolutions of identity are constructed for delta like and smooth potentials. Their form and the contribution of a spectral singularity depend on the class of functions employed for physical states. With this specification there is no obstruction to completeness originating from a spectral singularity.
We consider an analytical approach that involves the complex poles of the propagator to investigate the effect due to the lack of time reversal invariance on the time evolution of decay for purely absorptive potentials. We find that the choice of the initial state may change the exponential decaying regime into a nonexponential oscillatory behavior at time scales of the order of a lifetime of the system. We illustrate this effect for a spectral singularity corresponding to a purely imaginary delta-shell potential.
We use a simple setup based on an infinite planar slab gain medium with no mirrors to explore the possibility of realizing a recently discovered resonance effect related to the mathematical concept of spectral singularity. In particular we determine the range of the gain coefficient g and the width L of the gain region required to achieve this resonance effect. We outline a method that allows for amplifying waves of desired wavelength by adjusting the gain coefficient (pumping intensity). We expect this method to have important practical applications in building tunable lasers
We develop error estimates for the semi-discrete conservative spectral method for the approximation of the elastic and inelastic space homogeneous Boltzmann equation introduced by the authors in \cite{GT09}. In addition we study the long time convergence of such semi-discrete solution to equilibrium Maxwellian distribution that conserves the mass, momentum and energy associated to the initial data. The numerical method is based on the Fourier transform of the collisional operator and a Lagrangian optimization correction that enforces the collision invariants, namely conservation of mass, momen…
Complex scattering potentials can admit scattering states that behave exactly like a zero-width resonance. Their energy is what mathematicians call a spectral singularity. This phenomenon admits optical realizations in the form of lasing at the threshold gain, and its time-reversal is responsible for antilasing. We study spectral singularities and whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of a cylindrical gain medium. In particular, we introduce a new class of WGMs that support a spectral singularity and, as a result, have a divergent quality factor. These singular gallery modes (SGMs) are excited only …
We study the relationship between singularities of finite-dimensional integrable systems and singularities of the corresponding spectral curves. For the large class of integrable systems on matrix polynomials, which is a general framework for various multidimensional spinning tops, as well as Beauville systems, we prove that if the spectral curve is nodal, then all singularities on the corresponding fiber of the system are non-degenerate. We also show that the type of a non-degenerate singularity can be read off from the behavior of double points on the spectral curve under an appropriately de…
Cecotti and Vafa proposed in 1993 a beautiful idea how to associate spectral numbers $α_1,...,α_n\in{\mathbb R}$ to real upper triangular $n\times n$ matrices $S$ with 1's on the diagonal and eigenvalues of $S^{-1}S^t$ in the unit sphere. Especially, $\exp(-2πiα_j)$ shall be the eigenvalues of $S^{-1}S^t$. We tried to make their idea rigorous, but we succeeded only partially. This paper fixes our results and our conjectures. For certain subfamilies of matrices their idea works marvellously, and there the spectral numbers fit well to natural (split) polarized mixed Hodge structures. We formulat…
We study optical spectral singularities of a weakly nonlinear PT-symmetric bilinear planar slab of optically active material. In particular, we derive the lasing threshold condition and calculate the laser output intensity. These reveal the following unexpected features of the system: 1. For the case that the real part of the refractive index $η$ of the layers are equal to unity, the presence of the lossy layer decreases the threshold gain; 2. For the more commonly encountered situations when $η-1$ is much larger than the magnitude of the imaginary part of the refractive index, the threshold g…
The $\cal PT$-symmetric complexified Scarf II potential $V(x)= - V_1 \sech^{2}x + {\rm i} V_2 \sech x \tanh x$, $V_1>0$ , $V_{2}\neq 0$ is revisited to study the interplay among its coupling parameters. The existence of an isolated real and positive energy level that has been recently identified as a spectral singularity or zero-width resonance is here demonstrated through the behaviour of the corresponding wavefunctions and some property of the associated pseudo-norms is pointed out. We also construct four different rationally-extended supersymmetric partners to $V(x)$, which are $\cal PT$-sy…
Within the expanding field of non-Hermitian physics, non-Hermitian pumping has emerged as a key phenomenon, epitomized through the skin effect via extensive boundary mode accumulation modifying the conventional Bloch picture. Beyond redefining bulk-boundary correspondences, we show that non-Hermitian pumping induces an unprecedented type of spectral topology: it admits a classification in terms of graph topology, which is distinct from conventional topological classifications of the eigenstate or energy Riemann surface. Each topological class is characterized by a conformally invariant configu…
We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for complex potentials in the Schrödinger equation to enable spectral singularities (SSs) and show that such potentials have the universal form $U(x) = -w^2(x) - iw_x(x) + k_0^2$, where $w(x)$ is a differentiable function, such that $\lim_{x\to \pm \infty}w(x)=\mp k_0$, and $k_0$ is a nonzero real. We also find that when $k_0$ is a complex number, then the eigenvalue of the corresponding Shrödinger operator has an exact solution which, depending on $k_0$, represents a coherent perfect absorber (CPA), laser, a localized bound state, a quasi bound…
